4 SS4

LO 5

How Much Is That Doggy?

Formative Assessment:

· Have you ever thought about buying a pet? How much would one cost?

· How much will it cost to own a pet? What kind of things will a pet need that you will have to pay for?

Instructional Strategies or Activities:

Brainstorm with the class the costs of ownership of a pet. Remember that these may be repeating costs, like food, or one-time costs, like the purchase price.

Have students go to the following website: http://econedlink.org/lessons/index.cfm?lesson=EM456

Use their ideas from brainstorming to complete the pet price worksheet. They will need to research the price of the pet they wish to purchase. They also will need to determine how much they will be spending on their pet weekly, monthly, and yearly. To do this they will need to determine what kind of expenses their pet will require during his/her lifetime.

Have students go to online pet supply stores like Pet Supply House or Pet sMart at the above website to obtain prices of items.

After students have found out the total cost of ownership for their pet, have them compare results with their classmates. How did the total cost vary when you changed the life span or the monthly cost of an item? Does a dog or a cat have a higher total cost of ownership? Which student calculated the highest or lowest total cost of ownership and why? What do these costs have to do with being a responsible pet owner?

Summative Assessment:

Have students think about what they have learned in this lesson and write a paragraph explaining what is meant by the total cost of ownership.

Pair students with a partner to discuss their answers. Have them discuss other items they buy that have costs other than just the initial purchase price. What are some items where total cost of ownership isn’t an issue? What items might their parents purchase where total cost of ownership is a consideration? Have pairs share their thoughts with the entire class.